In 2025, the share of the population at risk of poverty or social exclusion \u2014 that is, individuals facing at least one of the following three conditions: at risk of poverty, severe material and social deprivation, or low work intensity \u2014 decreases to 22.6% (23.1% in 2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Compared with the previous year, the share of individuals at risk of poverty remains stable (18.6% compared with 18.9%), the share of individuals living in low work intensity households decreases (8.2% compared with 9.2%), and the share of individuals in severe material and social deprivation slightly increases (5.2% compared with 4.6%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2024, the average annual household income (39,501 euros) increases compared with 2023, both in nominal terms (+5.3%) and real terms (+4.1%). This growth is associated with a reduction in income inequality: the amount of income received by the 20% of households with the highest incomes is 5.1 times that received by the 20% with the lowest incomes (5.5 in 2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2025, data on living conditions in Italy show signs of improvement compared with the previous year. The share of the population at risk of poverty or social exclusion (EU 2030 composite indicator) decreases to 22.6% (previously 23.1% in 2024), amounting to approximately 13 million 265 thousand people. This refers to individuals experiencing at least one of the following three conditions: at risk of poverty, in severe material and social deprivation, or living in a low work intensity household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Individuals are considered at risk of poverty if they live in households whose equivalised net disposable income (referring to the year preceding the interview, excluding imputed or in kind components) is below 60% of the median income. In 2024, 18.6% of people residing in Italy \u2014 around 10 million 908 thousand individuals \u2014 fall into this category, essentially stable compared with 2023 (18.9%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Severe material and social deprivation slightly increases (5.2% from 4.6% in 2024). This condition applies to individuals experiencing at least seven of the thirteen indicators of deprivation established under the new EU 2030 framework. These include for example the inability to face unexpected expenses, pay rent, afford an adequate meal, take a week\u2019s holiday away from home, or regularly participate in paid leisure activities. (See Glossary for a list of deprivation indicators.) In 2025, more than 3 million individuals will be in this condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Low work intensity decreases to 8.2% (from 9.2% in 2024). This applies to individuals living in households where members aged 18 to 64 worked less than one fifth of their potential working time in the previous year. In absolute terms, this affects around 3 million 873 thousand individuals. In absolute terms, this condition affects approximately 3 million 873 thousand people. The decrease in low work intensity is linked to the growth in employment observed over the year and is particularly marked in the North-East (2.8% from 4.3%) and in the Centre (5.5% from 7.8%), among single people under 65 (13% from 15.9%), couples with children (4.8% from 5.6%) and single parents who, despite presenting levels more than double the national average, dropped to 18.2% from 19.5% in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The North-East continues to register the lowest incidence of risk of poverty or social exclusion (11.3%, previously 11.2%), while the South and Islands show the highest levels (38.4%, previously 39.2%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2025, the incidence of risk of poverty or social exclusion remains lowest among couples without children \u2014 especially those with a reference person under 65 (16%). The incidence is highest among single parent households (31.6%), couples with three or more children (30.6%), and individuals living alone (28.6% under age 65; 29.6% aged 65+).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All household types show decreases between 2024 and 2025, except individuals living alone and couples with two children. For couples with one child, the risk remains limited (17.4%), below the national average of 22.6%. For couples with two children, the indicator rises to 20.6%. Households with three or more children show the largest improvement (30.6% compared with 34.8% in 2024), partly reflecting stronger support measures. However, these families still face challenges in reconciling work and care responsibilities, as low work intensity increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Il rischio di povert\u00e0 o esclusione sociale – pi\u00f9 alto tra coloro che possono contare principalmente sul reddito da pensioni e\/o trasferimenti pubblici (32,6% dal 33,1% nel 2024) e pi\u00f9 contenuto per coloro che vivono in famiglie in cui la fonte principale di reddito \u00e8 il lavoro dipendente (14,3% dal 14,8%) \u2013 tra il 2024 e il 2025 aumenta in maniera evidente per le famiglie la cui fonte principale di reddito \u00e8 da lavoro autonomo (23,9%, da 22,7% nel 2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The risk of poverty or social exclusion remains higher among households relying mainly on pensions or public transfers (32.6%, previously 33.1%) and lower among households whose main source of income is dependent employment (14.3%, previously 14.8%). Between 2024 and 2025 it increases significantly for households whose main source of income is from self-employment (23.9% from 22.7%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, risk of poverty or social exclusion increases among households with at least one foreign citizen (41.5% compared with 37.5% in 2024) and decreases among households composed exclusively of Italian citizens (20.1% from 21.2%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2024, it is estimated that households residing in Italy received an average net income of \u20ac39,501, or approximately \u20ac3,290 per month. The growth in household income at current prices (+5.3% compared with 2023) was significantly stronger than the inflation observed during 2023 (+1.1% average annual change in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, HICP), leading to an increase in household income in real terms (+4.1%), following two consecutive years of decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Real income growth was particularly strong in the North-East (+5.2%), but also in the Centre and in the South (both +4.5%), whilst it was weaker in the North-West (+2.7%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the recovery over the past year, household incomes in real terms are still, on average, 4.9% lower than in 2007, i.e. the period prior to the global financial crisis. The decline is most pronounced in the Centre (-9.3% compared to 2007) and in the South (-6.9%), and only relatively more moderate in the North-East (-2.5%) and the North-West (-1.8%). Furthermore, the decline in income has been particularly severe for households whose main source of income is self-employment (-13.4%) or wage employment (-6.3%), whilst households whose income consists mainly of pensions and public transfers have seen a 6.6% increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the distribution of income is skewed, the majority of households received an income below the average: the median figure \u2013 that is, the income level below which 50% of resident households fall \u2013 stands at \u20ac31,704 (\u20ac2,642 per month), an increase of 5.5% in nominal terms compared with 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Households in the North-East have the highest median income (\u20ac37,086), followed by those in the North-West (where the median is 6% lower than in the North-East), the Centre (-11%) and the South (-29%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Median income also varies significantly depending on household type: couples with children have the highest median income at \u20ac49,894 (around \u20ac4,160 per month), as these are mostly households with two or more earners, whilst single-parent households have a median income of \u20ac33,290 and, in 50% of cases, elderly people living alone do not exceed the threshold of \u20ac18,614 (\u20ac1,550 per month). The median income of households with foreign nationals is \u20ac5,970 lower than that of households composed solely of Italian citizens (\u20ac32,361). These relative differences become more pronounced moving from the North to the South, where the median income of households with at least one foreign national is 58% of that of households composed solely of Italians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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